The brown sign says it is a Historic Market Town. It has been in existence for at least 1200 years and has had a market for more than 1,000 years. Today it is part commuter town, 35 minutes from London Kings Cross, part market centre for surrounding villages and towns, and just a lovely place to live.
The ‘historic core’ does make walking and shopping
in the town a good experience – with a lot of old buildings, winding streets and narrow alleys.
For more History click here
All walking routes seem to lead to the cobbled Market Place. A map of the town’s footpaths is here.
There are no enormous shops in the town centre but several national retailers do occupy small premises. The 4-day-a-week market provides a variety of goods, 
from fresh fruit and veg to very old bric-a-brac. Independent retailers predominate. We have a Town Centre Manager who is a fulcrum for various activities in the town. He is employed by Hitchin Initiative, which has formed a Business Improvement District, which generates funds for various town centre improvements – more about Hitchin Initiative and the BID here.
There is no town council. North Herts District Council is the local authority, with our town’s elected councillors meeting in the Hitchin Committee. More about the politics here.
Transport links are good, if you like that sort of thing 
– sited between the A1(M) and the M1, 10 miles from Luton Airport, and on the mainline from Kings Cross to the north and east. Cambridge is 35 miles away. The coast is sadly 90 minutes away, but with global warming it may get closer.
A Youth Activities Directory for Hitchin, first compiled by local community groups in 2015, has just been updated for 2016/17, providing a useful information source for young people, parents, schools and community groups – available here
Community groups making up Hitchin Town Action Group (HTAG) – Hitchin Forum, The Hitchin Society and Hitchin Historical Society supported by the business community through Hitchin Initiative – have been assisted this year by AboutMyArea Hitchin Editor, Emma Sangster in updating the Directory. Contacts: Ellie Clarke: admin@hitchinforum.org.uk ; Emma Sangster: EmmaSangster@aboutmyarea.co.uk ; Town Centre Manager: info@hitchinherts.com
Links between organizations within the town are good. Links to our own member organizations are here.